The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1887-08-14

about midway OF the lower floor. II wa. n
doHbie-barrelled shotgun, each barrel contain
k ns ps Che sns Snd the Weapon
would never know what hurt him.
It did not seem possible taa; any one could s
people "T' in the neighborhood had gone TO bed
Sod hear The set nSsS @ea and
had failed to find II, but my. own copildence,
came nrar proving my destruction. 4 should
over the spot where we set tho spring gun wa;
an opening through which We hois'ed and inl
ns o sue tso s ssSond is Uo not
trsp door, toward evening, on tho tenth day
tubs, and had Just finished when trade became
so brisk that was called to wait upon custom
astsr on saT To Isa efd hnt n so
lot 1t go until Iwent to bod. The store had the
only burSlar-proof safe for miles around, and
hundred dollars or so to leave Il with US. he
received an envelope In which to inclose It, and
t NJ so erenns four or i've farmers came in to de-
posit. and. rs L aferward figured up, We had
about $1,000 in tho safe.
There were two strange faces in the crowd
that evening. One belonged to roughly
dressed, evil-eyed man, who announced him
self as a drover. and the other TO a profess
basca and Some sraekes and cheese and he
soon wont away, and wo were so busy IN 10 .
o'clock that did not give the droyer much at,
he had gone from my mind alt9gether We
counted up the cash. made some 9, eharges in the
Merchant SDn lett lett. was tired out. and took
candle and made the circuit Of the
the spns E Within and dix went ss o
not see see it; 1t was rather chilly might In De-
S der tic s banSets the ne warmth was 50 grateful
that soon fell asleep. 1t was the first night
had gone to bed without thinking Of robbers
ssSy eam suddenly found U myself half upright
IL Rsd FAIL Of had aoued
was o'clock, and | had been asleep almost
three hours. Leaning on ny, elbow; strained
o minnie 1 heard movement down stairs;
While could not say what 1t was. sort OF
instinct told me that it was made by some hu-
Everything on the street was as silent as the
was very black. did not wait for the noise to
be was haa aron nT b
and and I ere crep ss' softly out Of bed drew on my
trousers. and moved out into the big room.
having the revolver in my hand. There was no
60 there and listen down the stairway. As l
was moving across, the room, which was then
spddsn G!s9e % ii OPENING
my course to reach it. 1t was terribly dark In
the room and one unfamiliar with the Place pace
hands and knees, and as | reached
There, was dim light down stairs: That set
tied the fact that some one was In the store:
After minute | heard whispers. then the
movement of feet, then a certain sound which
located tho intruders TO a foot. They were ut
the. safe in, the, front Of the store. drew my
could see a lighted candle and two or three
dark figures at the safe. and could hear the
combination being worked; NJ, hpst 1h ar. in
their direction. but remembered that we had
so many articles hanging up that no bullet had
derins What at to do When heard one Of the men
IFS all id aa n9 n, + We might work
wouldn't protested another
We want to do is to so UP, and bring that coun,,
ter hopper down and make him open the box
IN give the cussed thing few mere trials"
saa the first nd ao hen no have hm mig
the number OF robbers. but my ears had.
There We're three Of Thorn. and they were no
Il no resistance Vas anticipated or taken into
they had me at their mercy. The rain was
now falling. the night was very dark. and
IN In the II they ed
reflected that | might be armed. they would
have Offset II with the fact that was u boy OF
nerve. I don't deny that i was bit ratified.
nnd that my lip would culver II spite OF me-
f e ssme 's 1ny nv e How
to get at tho fellows was what. bothered me,
but that trouble was soon solved.
There" whispered the man at the combina-
other minute. That kid knows the combina:
ton. and we can make him work It. Come on"
for me would be at the head OF the stairway.
The stairs had half turn in them. and would
FIRE m first man wh zee GENE WITHIN W. range
and my nerve gave way. 1t wasn't from cow
ardice, but tho knowledge, that was to kill
to my M room, and il they persisted in coming
that far, | would shoot. The trio had rubbers
on their feet. but they came up stairs without
The one who came llrst, had the candle. and.
as he got to the head Of the stairs, saw q knife
preaching my room. and. with a great effort,
braced myself for what l saw must happen.
onr feet Of the door sS and their rst nmson
that was out Of bed was when they heard me
sion. or I'll shoot!"
had them covered with the weapon. and for
fifteen seconds there was dead Isl! silence nee Then
dase got on Pa the oo ann 1he e
it by opening fire. They then
the rear Of tho floor. for saw the three to-
gether moving on and fired at their dim
figures. Three seconds later there was great
shout Of horror. followed by, the, tremendous
report of the double -barrelled spring gun, and
then there was absolute silence. think stood
in the door shaking like u leaf, for fully three
minutes before the silence was broken by Il
groan., Then it game to me that tho robbers
leading to the gun. | struck a match,
lighted my own candle, and. going
lying below, Running back to the
bedroom 10 recEerge my revolver. then went
down stairs to investigate. 1t was as sus-
pccted. Tho three had pitched down to-
blown off by tho shot second had q hole in
who WAS responsible for tho groans was
severely, wound ed in both legs Il was three
months before he could be nut on trial, and he
then got four years, in prison. The whole
CRieas S"i barsar ss; lee GawRnmmrer B B
and be had hidden himself in tho store that
night. and then let his pals in by the back
door. They had horse and wagon in tho
rear OF the building, and the plan was TO rob
tho store OF goods as we'll ~ TO get RI tho
money in the, safe. 4 biz of carelessness on my
part not only saved the store and probably
my life, hut wiped out a very desperate gang.